Five Things Keeping Me Sane Right Now

End of summer. Almost start of school. Election time looming and then the end of the year and time to take stock of what I’ve accomplished in life and organizing. With all that in the balance, here are some things keeping me sane, listed in no particular order.

Journaling

I have two journals I write in each day— an organizing journal that is basically a bound version of a running to do list and a regular journal that I use in the traditional way.

Journaling, to me, is an essential mental exercise, necessary for peak inner life. If I don’t journal, things tend to pile up in my brain in an uncomfortable way. Journaling is idea untangling or, at the very least, a chance to release my ideas onto page, see if they have the mettle to make it out into the larger world.

The key is to get in the habit and stay in it. If you lapse too long, you end up having to make dull small talk with yourself, recapping what you ate for breakfast, before you can get back in the groove of having interesting conversations with yourself. And if you can’t talk to yourself, who can you talk to?

My organizing journal is an adaptation of the notes that my mom scatters everywhere in her home and life. She has notepads and sticky pads with her at all times, ready and waiting in every room and holstered in her purse. Each sheet holds a collection of thoughts, often unrelated, never bulleted, the words more like points on a scatter plot map. It does make her easy to shop for — Mom always needs a new notepad! To me. it makes more sense to keep my to do list in an actual bound book. This way I can easily take stock and keep track.

I get all my journals at the dollar store because, well, cheapness. I fill too many to spend a lot. But the thrift store’s a good spot to look for more lovely leather bound journals. Apparently a great many people get an expensive journal, fill two or three pages, then toss it.

Hundred Year Hall

I got hooked on this album because of the great rendition of “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad.” There are standout versions of “Playing in the Band,” “Bertha,” and “Me and My Uncle” on this one too. “Europe 72” is one of the regular background soundtracks of my life so it’s been nice switching it up with another live album from the same year.

The album has a cover of blues singer Earl Forest’s song, “Next Tine You See Me” that I’d never heard before — and I really love me a good Dead cover. The album also features a 36 minute jam version of “Cryptical Envelopment” that delights me and horrifies my kids when we’re in the car together (though hey, the upside: won’t be too many Dead songs until we reach wherever we’re going!)

Rubbing Shells (& Other Pocket Stuff)

I’ve been told my kids are fidgeters and this news was relayed like it was a bad thing. If they are fidgeters, they get it from me. But in this day and age, in which we all live, phone in hand, I wonder who is not a fidgeter? I am an admitted fidgeter. No shame here.

What I do object to are those plastic pop it fidget toys. Who wants to fidget with these things? So plasticy, so unlovely. When the contents of my pockets spill onto the floor, my kids know to return what we all call my rubbing shells to me. I keep other nature artifacts in my pockets to fidget with too— rocks, sprigs of rosemary — but mostly I go for shells.

South Jersey, my home, may be mountainless but we do have the coast, an ocean full of shells I can stuff into my pockets so at odd moments I can enjoy their color, texture and endless variety. Seriously, stuff your pockets with shells. You won’t regret it. I prefer the flat ones (oyster or abalone maybe?), pearlescent with whorls and ridges.

Fall Sewing

Every year, I have big plans for Christmas sewing. Stocking. Gifts. All the things. I am beginning to wise up though and lean into lower stakes fall sewing.

Fall sewing is an inevitability for me anyway. My kids always need me to sew things for Halloween costumes — or to sew the whole costume. And I have my own fall sewing goals which involves making enough bags to avoid buying plastic sandwich bags all year.

I usually don’t start on this in earnest until late August so my new favorite shortcut to make lots of reusable bags for cheap is to repurpose frozen food and snack bags, the kind your frozen veggies come in. They don’t last forever but they last longer than you’d think. Sturdy, all they need is a washing out, the addition of some velcro and viola! Reusable bags! So far, my kids haven’t complained about taking their sandwiches and snacks in repurposed frozen burrito and edamame bags.

The Dead Guy!

I don’t have strong feelings about pumpkins spice lattes or even pumpkin beer. But in fall, my year round favorite beer is on tap and easy to find so happy times! Do whatever you want with the pumpkin spice but don’t deprive yourself of a Rogue Dead Guy.